Thanks for this. I like seeing fanfics that speculate about the real
story, and Snape is certainly one of the biggest puzzles set before us.

AstarteTuesday 19th August 2008 14:36

Seated Woman with Parasol (Author Response)

less of a puzzle now that we have Deathly Hallows (I was personally rather disappointed by Snily becoming canon, too neat for my tastes). I'm considering revising this somewhat but I may just let it stand as a relic between HBP and DH. I'm still of the opinion that Dumbledore just never got round to telling JKR how Life Debts actually work (she's still under the impression that there's no magic involved, and I am still convinced there is, even after the whole Wormtail death scene).

Speculating on the real background is my favorite thing to do. I'm always fascinated by the triggers that spark our unique personality quirks to the point that they color our interactions with third-parties (I'm a social sciences geek).

Very well thought out. I like how you tied in the ideas of your essay on life-debts; the story and the essay kind of reinforce each other.

It's not easy writing so sympathetically about a widely hated character, especially one that's under so much fire at the moment. It's very brave. And I hope you're right!

AstarteFriday 22nd July 2005 10:32

Seated Woman with Parasol (Author Response)

thanks :) hopefully the story gets SOME notice so I feel more compelled
to actually work on the other stories in the series... I feel
Dumbledore tapping his foot impatiently.

I misread your comment the first time as that I wrote SNAPE as brave,
instead of as being brave for writing ABOUT him. From my
mis-read, my reaction was: well, I don't see how he's at all brave in
here, in fact I'd venture that the man has never done a brave thing in
his entire life and now no bravery he ever shows in this war can really
be attributed to his own goodness, he's beyond redemption BECAUSE he
can't act of his own will; redemption is only possible with free will,
yes?

As for my bravery... well.. this story demanded to be written... would
have been braver to try to tell it "no" maybe, as insistant as the
stabbit was becoming!